''I have had Achilles tendonitis for a little while now and in the past couple of weeks it's been preventing me being able to get through full training sessions,'' Judd said on Friday. ''With five weeks to go before the season starts, we thought it was a good time to get on top of it now, so we are going in for a minor procedure next week to fix it up so I am back out there early on in the season.

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''We are going to go to surgery because we have tried to put in some rehab measures and some other measures which haven't worked, so this was the next progression from that.

''The surgery is a pretty simple operation where in layman's terms, they sever the nerve supply to the tendon, so this greatly reduces your pain symptoms.''

The Blues face a testing start to the season and are likely to duel with the Power, a stunning improver last season, and the Tigers for a finals berth as the season progresses.

All going well, Judd will return in time for a round-three clash against Essendon on a Sunday night. The Blues face a rebuilding Melbourne a week later.

''We will hopefully be able to run again after two to three weeks and then we will be looking to play again around round three, so it shouldn't impact too much on the season,'' Judd told Carlton TV.

Coach Mick Malthouse hopes this will not be Judd's last season. The dual Brownlow medallist has played 259 matches, with the Achilles tendon injury symptomatic of a player who has covered significant territory.

Judd said the injury had not prompted him to think more about retirement.

''I am not looking further past round three at this stage,'' he said. ''I certainly just see this as a bit of a speed hump individually and looking forward to having a big impact for the Carlton footy club this year.''

The Blues open their NAB Challenge series against North Melbourne in Ballarat next Saturday.

■ Emerging Western Bulldogs forward Tom Campbell has re-signed with the club until the end of 2016.

■ Mitch Clark, Jack Viney, Chris Dawes and Colin Garland (ankle) and Jack Watts (illness) did not take part in Melbourne's intra-club clash on Friday at Gosch's Paddock.

Co-captain Jack Grimes, who was used in the middle last season, returned to defence and impressed. Jimmy Toumpas (four goals) was one of several youngsters to push for selection in Friday's NAB Challenge opener against Richmond at Etihad Stadium.